Manufacture of m etalli c colu m ns



(No Model.)

A. H. EMERY. v MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC COLUMNS. No. 322,050. Y PatentedJuly 14, 1885.

mineww r lrzwenfor N. PETERS, PhumLmm w. Washington. 1104 ber is to bemade,or the entire column or other raised,and its rigidity and ultimatestrength to To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

UNITED STATES PATENT FFl Cljo ALBERT H. EMERY, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,050, dated July 14,1885.

Application filed April 2, was. (No model.)

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. EMERY, of Stamford, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, formerly of New York, in the Stateof New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in the mode orprocess of constructing columns, braces, and other compression membersof bridges, buildings, and other structures, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to increase the rigidity and ultimatestrength of compression members of bridges, buildings,and otherstructures; to which end I subject the parts of which a compound columnor other compression mem-' member, if made in one piece, to compressionby dies or rolls, preferably the former,while in a cold ormoderately-heated state, in order to condense the metal,and Isubsequently subject the entire column or other member to compressionendwise or in the direction in which its load will be sustained in use,the pressure being in excess of the elastic limit and sufficient toimpart a permanent set. By this means the elastic limit of the structurewill be resistaload of compression or a crushing strain materiallyincreased.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a transverse section of the coin pression-dies, showing onemember of a compound column under compression to condense the metal.Fig. 2 is a transverse section of such a column. Fig. 3 is a planillustrating the application of endwise compression tolhe column.

As intimated, the invention is applicable to the treatment of columns orother compression members of bridges, buildings, or otherstructureswhether made in one piece or in a number of parts combined byriveting or otherwise. For the purpose of illustration I have shown inthe drawings the mode of treating the parts of a compound column and theconr plete column.

In Fig. 1, 1 represents a bed-die formed to correspond exactly with theshape of one face of the column member 4,which is placed thereon, and 5an upper die formed with a face to correspond exactly with the uppersurface of the column member 4, and forced down to apply pressurethereto by any adequate means such, for example,as hydraulic presses orrams. The pressure on the column member is sufficient in degree topermanently condense the metal,and is maintained for a sufficient periodof time to permit the particles of metal to ac commodate themselves toeach other in their closerrelations. The column members having been inthis manner compressed, so as to permanently condense the metal of whichthey are composed, may be assembled and secured together in the usualway by riveting or bolting through their flanges or margins. The entirecolumn is then compressed longitudinally. This may be effected by meansof the press shown in Fig. 3, having one or more wedgeshaped followers,9, or other adequate means for sustaining the column against flexure,either one or both of the clamping-jaws 8 8 being made adj ustable, aspreferred. One end of the column is sustained by an abutment, '10, and aplunger, 11, is pressed against the other end by means of ahydraulicram,12,with sufficient force to compress the metal endwise of the columnbeyond the limit of elasticity, imparting a permanent set. This pressureis maintained for a considerable period to permit the particles of metalto become seated in their new relations.

If preferred, the separate sections of the column may receive therequired endwise set by compression applied to them severally beforeassembling.

The same principle is applied to either solid or hollow columns made inone piece, instead of compound, as hereinbefore described, by pressingthe entire column transversely in sections between dies formed to fitits surface. In the case of ahollow column, a supportingmandrel isapplied to theinterior, eitherthe whole length of the column or madeadjustable therein, butin all cases extending to a-greater length thanthe external condensing-dies. After the metal of the column has beenthus condensed by lateral pressure, longitudinal pressure is applied tothe column sufficient to give it a permanent set, as before explained.

In all parts of the operation the condensing and setting pressure isapplied to the metal while in a cold or moderately-heated state.

The lateral and longitudinal compression of the metal each imparts to ita higher limit of elasticity and greater ultimate strength, and thelongitudinal compression of the column previous to use(either with orwithout previous condensation) imparts a higher limit of elastieity andgreater ultimate strength to the col- 1111111.

I am aware that it is an old and well-known process to compress metal inorder to condense it. This, therefore, I do not broadly claim.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The mode or processof increasing the strength and rigidity of a column, brace, or othercompression member, which consists in compressing it longitudinallywhile in a cold or moderately-heated state with sufficient force and fora suflicient time to reduce its length and impart a considerablepermanent set to the material.

2. The mode or process of increasing the strength and rigidity of acolumn, brace, or other compression member of a bridge or otherstructure, which consists in compressing it longitudinally in a cold ormoderately-heated state, while stayed against flcxurc, with suflicientforce and for a sufficient time to reduce its length and impart aconsiderable permanent set to the material.

3. The improved mode orprocess of increasing the strength and rigidityof columns, braces, or other compression members of bridges or otherstructures, which consists in condensing the metal by pressure while itis in a cold or moderately-heated state, and subsequently compressingthe column longitudinal- 1y with sufficient force and for a sufficientperiod of time to impart a considerable permanent set, reducing itslength without flexure.

at. The improvementin the mode or process of manufacturing compoundcolumns, braces, or other compression members of bridges and otherstructures, which consists in compressing the separate parts or membersthereof while in a cold or moderately-heated state, so as to condensethe metal, assembling and connecting the parts in any customary orsuitable manner, and subjecting the whole to a longitudinal strain,permanently compressing thestructare in the direction of its length.

A. H. EMERY.

Witnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, WM. S. SAXnns.

A ll

